As the country struggles to recover from Cyclone Gabrielle, which caused massive floods and landslides in the country’s north and shut off certain communities, New Zealand has stated it is open to offers of foreign assistance. After four days of high winds and downpours, five deaths have been reported. The number of people reported missing by authorities is 100, and they estimate that another 10,500 have been forced to relocate. On Thursday, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins told his countrymen that recovery would be a lengthy process. He noted that electricity might not be restored to certain places for weeks, and that cleanup would take much longer.
He described the situation as “traumatic.” A rapid recovery of infrastructure is a formidable obstacle, but we must accept that the road ahead will be rocky. After ignoring pleas for aid from the United States and other countries, Hipkins said, “We are considering offers of foreign assistance.” Two big ships and a C-130 Hercules transport jet have been sent by the New Zealand Defense Force to ferry thousands of gallons of water, as well as troops and numerous mobile water treatment units, to the worst-affected areas. Helicopters have been utilized to drop off supplies and pick up trapped citizens by the hundreds. The 65,000 residents of Napier were once again shut off from the rest of New Zealand on Thursday when specialists discovered damage to the town’s final bridge. Residents in secluded areas have been instructed to limit their water consumption and stay indoors only if absolutely necessary. Wading through muddy floodwaters to collect supplies or huddling on the stairs of the few remaining buildings with WiFi, locals try to get in touch with loved ones when they are able to leave their homes. Hipkins stated that people’s inability to contact loved ones was a serious problem, and that the government was working quickly to improve communication. On Thursday morning, Finance Minister Grant Robertson assured the public that the island has the resources to cover the expenses of reconstruction.
This is the second major storm in as many weeks to hit parts of New Zealand’s North Island, home to around 75 percent of the country’s 5 million people. After a month of record rainfall, four individuals lost their lives in flash floods in Auckland. MetService, a weather forecasting organization, reported that Cyclone Gabrielle has moved east of the country and is currently tracking away from the North Island. On the other hand, it warned that severe thunderstorms might strike Hawke’s Bay and Tairawhiti on Thursday. On Tuesday, New Zealand issued a national emergency declaration due to the storm, just the third such declaration in the country’s history.
